Stocking-supporter.



No. 695,349. Patented Mar. l l, I902.

' H. H. T'AYLUB.

STOCKING SUPPORTER.

(Application filed Aug. 9, 1901 (No Model.)

UNITED STATES ATENT Fluent HENRY ll. TAYLOR, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

STOCKING-SUPPORTER.

fiPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,349, dated March 11, 1902. Application filed August 9, 1901. Serial No. 71,526- (Nomodel.)

To (Z5 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY H. TAYLOR, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residin g atBridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStocking-Supporters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the inelement which lies in front of theabdomen,

and to cause the pad always to fit firmly and perfectly over theabdomen, whereby a uniform and constant pressure is always exertedagainst the latter; 7

With these ends in view myinvention consists in the following details ofconstruction and combinationof parts, such as will be hereinafter fullyset forth and then specifically be designated by the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrating myimprovement in such form as will enable the same to be attached to theperson of the wearer by means ofabelt passed around the waist of thewearer; and Fig. 2, a similar View showing the pad element equipped withan approved form of metal-hook fastener, whereby the device may besuspended from the corset-clasp fastener.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in both figures of thedrawings.-

My invention relates to that class of stocking-supporters which employ apad of some flexible material, adapted to be attached to the person ofthe wearer in any suitable and well-known manner, while thestocking-engaging tapes or members are attachedto and depend from thebottom of the pad.

I-Ieretofore the pad has been made from some sort of cloth fabricpossessing no elasticity Whatever, while a portion of thestocking-engaging members or tapes was composed of elastic webbing, theresult being that the strain on the stocking -engaged members wouldcause the pad to become wrinkled and distorted in the line of strain,and this distortion would in a short time cause the metalhook portionwhich engages the corset-clasp fastening at the top of the pad to workloose from the pad and in some instances to exert a sawing actionuponthe corset-clasp. More over, these defects which I have noted abovematerially prevented the pad from exerting any firm or constant pressureagainst the abdomen, notwithstanding the fact that one of the objects ofthese pads was to reduce any undue prominence of the abdomen.

My invention contemplates the transfer of the elastic element directlyto the pad itself, while the stocking-engaging tapes or members may bewholly non-elastic, the elastic webbing of the pad in my improvementbeing so disposed that the resilient action is wholly in the directionof the line of strain on the stocking-engaging members.

1 is my improved pad, made of an integral piece of elastic webbing ofcomparatively broad area,tthe elastic strands of which are verticallydisposed.

Referring to Fig. 1, 2 3 are broken sections of a band or belt securedto the upper portion of this pad, the latterpreferably being bound atthis point by any suitable tape a, said band or belt adapted to bepassed around the waist of the wearer to hold the pad in position, whilethe stocking-engaging tapes or members 4 5 depend from and are securedto the bottom of the pad, the latter being also preferably bound at thispart by a suitable tape 11.

In case the device is to be attached to an element of the corset-claspfastening an approved form of hook (i is secured to the top of the pad,while the latter is preferably stiffened by means of a flat steel 7,secured within the top of the pad beneath the tape a, as shown at Fig.2.

-When the device is attached to the person of the wearer by means of abelt around the waist, no stiffening will be required at the top of thepad for the reason that the pad is suspended at the top from thecorners, and therefore the strain on the stocking-engaging members willnot tend to distort the pad; but when the device is constructed as shownat Fig. 2 some sort of stiffening element is very desirable, since thepad is only suspended at the center of the top portion and the strain'onthe stocking-engaging members might pull the unsupported sides of thepad downwardly and distort the same so that it could not fit firmlyagainst the abdomen. Also I prefer in constructing my improvement inboth its forms to reinforce the elastic element at the top and bottom bymeans of suitable tapes, so that the belt-sections and thestocking-engaging members will not be likely totear loose from theelastic element; but I do not wish to be limited in this respect, sinceit will be clear that the tapes may be dispensed with, the broad featureof my invention residing in the idea of the integral elastic-padelement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. Agarment-supporter comprising an integral pad of comparatively broadelastic material, means secured to the upper portion of the pad forsupporting the pad in position on the body of the wearer, and meanssecured to the lower portion of the pad for supporting hose or othergarments, substantially as set forth.

2. A garment-supporter comprising an integral pad formed ofcomparatively broad elastic material, a binding piece or strip securedto the upper edge of the pad, and a binding piece or strip secured tothe lower edge of the pad, the intermediate portions of said pad beingpermitted to yield in all directions, means attached to the upperbinding-strip for supporting the pad in position on the body of thewearer, and means se-' cured to the lower-binding-strip for support inghose or other garments, substantially as described.

3. A garment-supporter comprising an integral pad of comparatively broadelastic material, means for suspending the pad from the person of thewearer at a point about midway of its upper edge, a laterally-extendingstiffening bar or piece secured to the upper portion of said pad, andmeans secured to the lower portion of the pad for supporting hose orother garments, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. TAYLOR. Witnesses:

F. W. SMITH, J12, M.'T. LOUGDEN.

